Signal system and direction indicator for automobiles



April 10, 1928. 1,665,584

c. F. A. EDDY I SIGNAL SYSTEM AND DIRECTION INDICATOR FOR AUTOMOBILESFiled July 20. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 M mm April 10, 1928.

C. F. A. EDDY SIGNAL SYSTEM AND DIRECTION INDICATOR FOR AUTOMOBILESFiled July 2 192:5 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 10, 1928.

' UNITED STATES mm owl- 1E SIGN-AL sysrnivr AND DIRECTION INDICATORronnuroivioiainns.

Applicationfiled July 20, 1923. Serial No. 52,81 0l pendent illuminatingmeans being provided for the stop signal.

In the accompanying drawings: Fig. l is a. side elevation of theindicator;

Fig. 2 is a rear .view ofthedndicator with the lens removed and showingparts in section; I

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional View through the indicator;

Fig. i is a diagrammatic viewshowing the wiring of the indicator andcontrolling device, and I Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the controllingswitch.

The indicating device consists of a base 1 to which is pivotallyattached agsocket ,2. Supported on the socket 2 .isa cylindrical casing3, provided on its lower side with ashank 1 adapted to be received inthe socket 2. Y

The frontof the casing isprovidedwith a lens 5 preferably gr'eenlincol.or, while the rear of the casing isiprovide d with ared lens 6having the word FStop inscribed upon it. Centrally o f the casing isapartition 7 of insulating material dividing the easing into front. andrear compartments 8 and 9. r v

Vertically mounted in "the oasing is'rotatable shaft 10 supported atitsrupper end by a bushing 11, its ,lower ;end being re ceived in a stepbearing 12, the';extreme'l0wor end of the shaft 10 restingupona ballbearing 13. A collar 14: beneath the bushing 11 limits the verticalmovement of'the shaft 10. Secured to-the upper end of the shaft 10exteriorly of the casing is the indicating arrow 15. Keyed to the shaft10 is a pin gear 16.

The numeral 17 indicates an armature pivoted as at 18 to the bottom ofthe casing.

Arrangedon the upper end of the armature is a. gear rack 19 adapted tomesh withthe pin gear 16. Arranged on eithersideot'lthe armature 17 arethe magnets 19 and 20, the armature'being held in a normal positionbetween the magnets 19f and 20 by ne'ans or springs 21 and 22 extendingoutwardly from the center of the magnets 19 and 20 Arranged in the rearcompartment -9 is a double lamp socket 23 mounted upon the insulatedpartition 7Q This soeket i'sadapt I ed to. receive the rear arrowilluminating lights 24l24, the socket beingo'f such a' length as toposition th e'lights'on either side of theshaft 10. The casing3 isprovided with suitable openings 25 oneither side of i the rotatableshaft 10 which permits the light from the lamps 24 to illuminatethefarrow 15 as it is turned ineitlier direction. Arranged in the frontcompartment' 8 of the indicating device ,is a similar lamp socket lights2727. A socket 528 is arranged in the front compartment below thear'rowilluminating lights, saidsocket adapted to receive an additionalilluminating-lamp 29. i

The numeral 30 indicates a suitable lamp socket arran ed inthe rearcompartment adapted toreceive the illuminating lights 3 1 31. Theselights are preferably ,used for illuminating the word Stop upon therearlens 6, the latter lights being independently controlled from the arrowilluminating lights 2 l24t and27-I27; It is desirable that the 7 arrowilluminat- 26 adapted to receive the arrow illuminating 2 ing lights 24and '27 be illuminated only when the arrow is in its operative position,namely, pointing to the right or to theleit. Toaccomplish this,jthearmature 117 is provided with a pair of contact members 32 and 33 one ofwhich when the armature is moved to one side or the otherfis adaptedtocontact with the lamp, socket 23 inasmuch as the armature 17 isconnected; by wire 1 7 to the ground, andby wire 48totheswitchbase 42,,thence'to afsource ofsupply A, it

being understood tha'tthe lamp sockets and 26 of the frontrearcompartments are connected, together by a suitable, contact medium34. Arranged withinthe lainp socket 23 is a contact member adaptedtocontact with the illuminating lights 24. Arranged within the socket 26in the front compartment is a similar contact member 56 adapted tocontact with the illuminating g i f 1,665,584

and 36 are preferably connected together by a suitable wire 37. Acontact member 38 leading from the illuminating light 29 is connected tothe wire 37 by wire 39, the

lamp receptacle 28 being grounded by wire.

40-as indicated.

Located within convenient reach of the operator is an actuating switchpreferably consisting of a rotatable shaft 41 mounted upon a suitablebase 42,.the latter preferably being grounded to the frame of themachine. Carried by the shaft i1 is a contact segment 43 adapted tocontact with a contact member 44 which is connected by wire 45 to themagnet 19, the latter being grounded to the frame by wire 46. g

A terminal 47 is arranged adjacent the base42 and carried by the base isa switch 48 which is adapted to contact with the terminal 47. Saidterminal 47 is connected by means of a Wire 48 to the wire 37 thence tothe arrow illuminating lights 24 2a and 27-.27.

It will thus be seen thatas armature 17 is swung to the right or leftthe contact points 32 or 33 will contactwith the lamp socket 28 andcomplete thecircuit between the arrow illumlnating lights and theground. The magnet 20 is connectedby wire 49 to a contact member 50arranged on the opposite side of the contact polnt iet which controlsthe magnet 19, the other side of said magnet 20 being connected by wire51 to ground. It will therefore be seen that as the shaft 41 is moved tothe right or left bythe handle 52, the magnets 19 and 20 will bealternately energized to effect the movement of the armature 17.

The rear lights 31-31 adapted to additionally illuminate the word Stopin the rear red lens 6 are preferably actuated in the following manner."

Arranged for longitudinal movement in theshaft 41 is a plunger 53whichis adapt ed to contact with a contact member 54:

mounted adjacent to the outer end thereof,

said plunger being held normally out of contact therewith by spring 55.As disclosed in Fig. 5 the handle 52 of the switch is pivoted as at 56,the inner face thereof adapted to engage the beveled end 57 of theplunger 53. Therefore, the longitudinal movement of the plunger 53 bymeans of theswitch handle 52 will make contact with the contact member 5iwhich in turn is connected by a wire 58 to a contact member 59 havingengagement with the stop light lamps 31-31, the socket 30 separatingthese lights being'gronnded by wire 40 completes the circuit between thelights effecting further illumination when desirable. V

It will thus be seen that I have constructed a unified system forimparting a visual signal to the traffic whereby the movement of theoperator of the car may be readily ascertained from within the front orrear of the vehicle.

I claim:

1. A direction indicator including a casing having a transversepartition therein dividing the easing into con'ipartments, a movablesignal mounted on said casing above the top thereof, each of thecompartments having openings in the top thereof, and illuminating meansmounted within the compartments'in position to illuminate the signalthrough the openings. .1 i

2. A direction indicator including a casing having a transversepartition therein dividing the casing into compartments, a movablesignal mounted on said casing above the top thereof, means for "movingsaid signal, illuminating means within and for illuminating. saidcompartments, each of said compartments having openings in the topthereof, and secondary illuminating means i Q I mounted within thecompartments in position toilluminate the signal through the openings.

3. A direction indicator including ing having atransverse partitiontherein separating the easing into front and rear compartments, amovable signal mounted on the casing above the top thereof, means formoving said signal, illuminating meanswith in and for illuminating saidcompartments, each of said compartments havingopenings in the topthereof, and secondary illuminat ing means within the front andrearcompartments, connected together and in position to simultaneously shinethrough the openings.

4. A direction indicator including a cas-' ing having a partitiontherein separating the casing into front and rear compartments,

ilhiminating means within and for inde* pendently illuminating eachofsaid compartments, each of said compartments having openings in the topthereof, a movablc direction indicator mounted onsaid casing above thetop thereof adjacent said open-' ings, and secondary illuminating meanswithin" the front and rear compartments,

' connected together, and in position to simultaneously shine throughthe openings and illuminate the movable direction indicator. Intestimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CHARLES F. A. EDDY. L

